Underpants or shorts



Dec. 26, 1944. I

A. JAMES 5, -UNDERPiANTS OR SHORTS Filed Aug. 6, 1942 I o I ZQQ /Zl' 75' 1 @7665 v 3Glaims. (015 2 -236) L .invention rlrelates P2110.-timprovements :i'in i E'Referring' toitheiaccompanying drawing which:amens underpants tor; shorts ofathe :kindttwhich iillustratestthelpreferredstorm ofthe invention- :have;elastic'smeans'rincorporated:in the 'waistzto e-hligslrisac-frontiviewfoft a pair of; mens. undere make the garmentself-supportingonzthe wearer. npants 'fitted-ewithsthe'sreplaceable-elastic bands Usually garments :of this kind:haveia'strip of aaccordingltothe:invention.

elastic. webbingi-sewniaround thewaist:- onihave Fig. 2 isawiewof theggarment fromtheside. igussets or inserts :of elastic fabric sewn intothe :Eig. 3uis1aview-on:.an enlarged scale of one of .sides.ttherelasticvbands. a

, With such-garmentsgit is found that'the elastic Ase-shown in.=these--viewsi theatwo removable material soon perishesor:losesits.elasticitytduemo elastic bands I areuarrangedatthe sidevportions (mainly-rte. thefrequent laundering thesegarments a 2::of theggarmenti to lie just: above therwearers Patented Dec. 26, 1944 a v r 23 031 I g "$2,366,031 V QUNDEEPANTS onzsnomrs iz -i-lan'JameseMemomnet'veteriagmustraua Applicatioli August 6, 194 2;1Sriat-Non453g857'irlnuAustralia August-46,1941

'iundergo. The elastic thus-becomes noneefi'ectiye r-rhips...-fI-he:lbands;- .are.eenclosedein;ajhem with incsupporting ithe-rgarment on:the wearer'aand ztheir-1:ends-4- reXtending-' t' i r Opnl-the? garmentr becomesfpractically unwearablemal- An st. l ethoughtherma'initmaterial'lis: quiteggoodrandrca-2,315 The projecting ends 4of the elasticbands are wi-tpable of'furrthenwear. I ::.formedwith.holes:6eor -thetequivalent to: engage a The:present:finventionirovercomes'lthisz disadbuttons 1 sewn to the garmentlp mblviavantagexandz i *aconsiststjh .:prov-iding removable cent to the SlitS5. i elastic bandsvwhichtareiattached: to: the waistTheaelastic.i'bandsitmay have 5 ohehele portion of the garment byreleasable attachment lizm t eachsend orfmayhas/ea pl r i y ef-helesiesmeans,"xjThes lbands thu c b quickly d tshownttinv Big-131170;. providefort adjustmentszto conveniently removed from the garment andrersnit'theiwearer. placed by new bands when they become perished In themanufacture of the e t, the ai or stretched beyond effective use,thereby m inportion 8 is made from the usual stretchable mataining thegarment self-supporting so that it terial such as knitted cotton fabric.This fabric can be continued t be wor l is extended upwards at 9 at thesides of the gar- Two relatively short elastic bands are prefere t d red nto he hemS 3 which enclose ably used and are arranged one on eachside of the elastic bands I- the garment in positions above the wearerships. The front and back portions l0 a d l of the Such arrangement isfound to be most effective Waist are formed from foldedipieees 0f p eeras the hands by fitting over the Wearers hips ably woven materialwhich is relatively n provide ideal suppgrt t comfort and avoidstretchable. The extended parts 9 are sewn to concentrated tension orstrain across the wearers the ends of the portions and H along theabdomen and back seams I2 and the slits 5 are formed in the said Theelastic bands may be enclosed or partly as portions 0 and H e bly ose tot e sea s enclosed in a hem or pocket at the waist portion of thegarmentwith their ends extending out The two elastic bands tend to gather theSide through slits or openings therein to engage the Portions 9 of thegarment adjacent to the Wearreleasable attachment means. Alternatively,p as Shown in 1 and S0 p t Sufithey may b externally tt t t garment '40cient elasticity to the waist portion of the garand exposed t View Iment to make the garment self-supporting on Buttons co-operating withbutton-holes or the wearer. slits form very suitable releasableattachment The upward eXtenSiOn 0 the material 8 t0 means for theelastic bands, but releasable clasp form the portions 9 p v e h lefabric clips or other means may be used. t at the parts where theelastic bands I are posi- The portions of the waistband across whichtioned and so permits free gathering of the mathe elastic bands extendare preferably formed terial under the tension of said bands and com--of stretchable material such as the usual knitted fortable stretchingof the waist of the garment cotton fabric from which the main portion ofduring wear. The non-stretchable fabric porthe garment is made so as tofacilitate free tions Ill and II ensure close and neat fitting ofgathering of the material under the tension of the garment at the frontand back and also prothe elastic bands and comfortable stretchingdurvide stronger support for the buttons 1 than mg wear. The remainingfront and back pcrwould be the case if they were sewn to thestretchtions of the walstband are preferably formed of able fabric 8.

fabric which is substantiall non-stretchable, The elastic bands can bevery easily removed The elastic bands are preferably made from rubbersheet or strip but elastic webbing or other elastic material is alsosuitable. The holes 6 formed in the ends of the bands to receive thebuttons, may be suitably reinforced with fabric or other attachments toprevent tearing of the rub- 7 her about said holes. is used it may beadhesive'ly attached to or incorporated in the rubber during manufactureor sewn thereto. In thela'tter case, the stitching may be arrangedlongitudinally of the band and not transversely to avoid weakening ofthe band.

In some cases, cloth or like tabs may be attached to the ends of theelastic bands and the button-holes 5 formed in said tabs.

In lieu of buttons and button-holes, other forms of fasteners maybeused. Grip fasteners or clasps which will releasably grasp the ends ofthe elastic bands are suitable.

In some cases the elastic bands, instead of being partly enclosed in thehems 3, maybe fitted externally to the garment across the portions 9, inwhich case the hems or pockets 3 may be dispensed with.

Other modifications may be made within the ambit of the invention.

What I claim is:

' 1. Underpants or shorts having a body of stretchable fabric awaistband consisting of com-* pletely independent front and rearportions of substantially non-stretchable fabric and two side If afabric reinforcement portions of stretchable fabric positioned over thewearers hips, the side portions of stretchable fabric being formed byexposed portions of the body fabric, hems formed in said side portionsofstretchable fabric, two removable elastic bands enclosed in said hemsand having their ends extending out over the portions of non-stretchablefabric, and buttons on said portions of nonstretchable fabric to engagebuttonholes in the ends of the elastic bands and removably secure saidbands.

'3. Underpants or shorts having a body of stretchable fabric a waistbandconsisting of completely independent front and rear portions ofsubstantially non-stretchable fabric and two side portions ofstretchable fabric positioned over the wearers hips, the side portionsof stretchable fabric being formed by exposed portions of the bodyfabric, hems formed in said side portions of stretchable fabric, tworemovable elastic bands extending through said hems, slits in theportions of non-stretchable fabric through Which the ends of the elasticbands pass out, and buttons on the portions of non-stretchable fabricadjacent to said slits to engage buttonholes in the ends of the elasticbands and removably secure said bands.

ALLAN JAMES.

